It's definitely a cultural thing, but i'm kind of appalled at immoral and disgusting images and writings in excess that they consider to be okay or tolerable. I've been to Yokosuka and Tokyo, Japan, and of course not all of it is as i say (most of the people there are very humble and kind), so don't be offended (I know America has its faults too, but i don't really see how they can compare since our cultures are so different).... but here is someone asking a similar question that deserves a heated debate. (please try to read most of the thread before pointing fingers and posting) V i did not write this below, it is just someone asking a similar question on another forum. ( i am not in full agreement with his opinions)

"Why is Japanese culture so perverted and violent?
There's lots of...perversion in Japan and all, but it's a more subtle subculture...very silent and closeted in its trafficking and deviance. The bloody gore, rape and murder in manga is much more open, though. But the rest of Asia just doesn't seem like that at all - and I'm not sure why. Japan always does seem to be unique among all the Eastern nations, embracing that which would be considered truly disgusting by countries such as Korea, the Philippines, India, and China. I don't feel comfortable with their culture in its entirety...

And I mean, if you don't believe me or want evidence or specific examples of this, then just search something like "Shotacon" and "Lolicon" on Wikipedia (which was how I first read about this side of their culture), and something even called "Toddlercon", not to mention the incest in their comics. I've read in an U.N. article that the Japanese government refused to ban child pornography, and someone here even said something about a painting of a Japanese woman having sex with two octopi and posted this link: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Dream_of_the_fishermans_wife_hokusai.jpg

I strongly support freedom and democracy, and I do respect the fact that Japan on some level supports it as well (even if it was not initially chosen by their own people), but, seriously, there are dozens of Eastern cultures and societies, many of which are as democratic as the Japanese, and few seem to have such embedded perversion. I mean, in the Philippines, for example, at least you don't see used girls' panties sold in vending machines to pedophiles...

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it - I've grown up in both the West and the East, but this just confuses me. Do most Americans quietly tolerate such culture as well?

Additional Details
Well, just a note - I, for one, HAVE been to Japan, and it was not the most enjoyable of experiences, I must admit. But I've been there, which is admittedly more than most fans of Japan can say...

And I know the Communists in China, for example, are just horrible tyrants, yes - but at least I've heard their police cracks down hard on this kind of stuff. Maybe such brutality is wrong, but I personally think this is even more so. Japan seems to have too much freedom and other Asian nations have too little - I really don't know which is the lesser or greater of two evils now..."

Fuck you mangasurf, fuck you. Now that I have that bit out of the way...
Japanese culture it's self is not violent or "perverted", but certain sub-cultures (what people call otaku-culture) obviously have aspects of it. What you're saying is like me talking of all Americans as war-loving, blood thirsty incestuous red-necks.
If you've been to Japan, you probably know that most of this "Otaku Culture" is concentrated in certain places, which few "normal" people go to. I'm talking about places like Akihabara etc. You also probably know that otakus are very much frowned upon by most of society. It is simply not fair to take a certain bit of Japan and claim that it applies to all of Japanese "Culture".

As, for the tolerance, it's only pictures. You would never find live-action paedophilia (LOL), or other things that would normally be considered bad.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that it's not fair to take a certain bit of Japan (which even they admit is bad btw), and brand the whole of it's culture as "perverted".

Fuck you mangasurf, fuck you. Now that I have that bit out of the way...
Japanese culture it's self is not violent or "perverted", but certain sub-cultures (what people call otaku-culture) obviously have aspects of it. What you're saying is like me talking of all Americans as war-loving, blood thirsty incestuous red-necks.
If you've been to Japan, you probably know that most of this "Otaku Culture" is concentrated in certain places, which few "normal" people go to. I'm talking about places like Akihabara etc. You also probably know that otakus are very much frowned upon by most of society. It is simply not fair to take a certain bit of Japan and claim that it applies to all of Japanese "Culture".

As, for the tolerance, it's only pictures. You would never find live-action paedophilia (LOL), or other things that would normally be considered bad.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that it's not fair to take a certain bit of Japan (which even they admit is bad btw), and brand the whole of it's culture as "perverted".

Although I must say, there's nothing like a bit of loli rape...

if you read what i wrote i said that i wasn't generalizing all of Japan, and that in fact, many of the people i met there were wonderful and welcoming. I'm addressing an "issue" thats not considered an issue in Japan.

Fuck you mangasurf, fuck you. Now that I have that bit out of the way...
Japanese culture it's self is not violent or "perverted", but certain sub-cultures (what people call otaku-culture) obviously have aspects of it. What you're saying is like me talking of all Americans as war-loving, blood thirsty incestuous red-necks.
If you've been to Japan, you probably know that most of this "Otaku Culture" is concentrated in certain places, which few "normal" people go to. I'm talking about places like Akihabara etc. You also probably know that otakus are very much frowned upon by most of society. It is simply not fair to take a certain bit of Japan and claim that it applies to all of Japanese "Culture".

As, for the tolerance, it's only pictures. You would never find live-action paedophilia (LOL), or other things that would normally be considered bad.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that it's not fair to take a certain bit of Japan (which even they admit is bad btw), and brand the whole of it's culture as "perverted".

Although I must say, there's nothing like a bit of loli rape...

if you read what i wrote i said that i wasn't generalizing all of Japan, and that in fact, many of the people i met there were wonderful and welcoming. I'm addressing an "issue" thats not considered an issue in Japan.

and you really do sound convincing starting off saying f**k you.

And you missed this post's point. did you read the entire thing?

Hah, the fuck you was there to lighten up the mood a bit, but I guess it had the opposite effect
And tbh, I skimmed it and got the basic jist of it... I guess that's a fault on my part...

Hmmm....the older I get I can see why its especially a concern..I mean when I was 15/16 reading smutty mangas about girls of the same age-there was nothing to it..Now I wonder is that technically considered "child porn"

I was their age then.but now I'm 23, and to others who don't understand this sub-culture may view it as distasteful or even in some places illegal. I was and still am a fan of Mayu Shinjo but her characters are all teenagers and she draws some pretty explicit stuff sometimes...and some of it was questioningly consensual. And a lot of her works were aimed at a teenage market! I still don't know what to make of it...I mean I read it as teenager but I'm going to stop now?

I can't think of that as loli though because I see loli as something on a total different extreme scale...I mean what age is loli?
I know most of them are preteen age...but there are some loli hentai's that feature babies and toddlers..I'm sorry no matter how much it fits into a sub culture there is no excuse for that. That is beyond perversion, and I can not see anyone from any culture ever justifying that. I mean babies? Really?

Lol ah ok, yeah I just get annoyed with people with very delicate mindsets about racial or cultural topics. It's an immensely immoral and disgusting flaw that i just don't understand coming from, on the interior, a very noble and humble culture. And public anime too, the portrayal of women in a lot of it is pretty obscene... I'm honestly surprised as to why the lack of interest of sex in Japan and the decline of population even exists.

Hmmm....the older I get I can see why its especially a concern..I mean when I was 15/16 reading smutty mangas about girls of the same age-there was nothing to it..Now I wonder is that technically considered "child porn"

I was their age then.but now I'm 23, and to others who don't understand this sub-culture may view it as distasteful or even in some places illegal. I was and still am a fan of Mayu Shinjo but her characters are all teenagers and she draws some pretty explicit stuff sometimes...and some of it was questioningly consensual. And a lot of her works were aimed at a teenage market! I still don't know what to make of it...I mean I read it as teenager but I'm going to stop now?

I can't think of that as loli though because I see loli as something on a total different extreme scale...I mean what age is loli?
I know most of them are preteen age...but there are some loli hentai's that feature babies and toddlers..I'm sorry no matter how much it fits into a sub culture there is no excuse for that. That is beyond perversion, and I can not see anyone from any culture ever justifying that. I mean babies? Really?

thats exactly where i am coming from, and aiming that at youth is unacceptable. I didn't want to come off as ignorant or anything.

and all of those underlying sexual innuendos aimed at Japan's youth, definitely polluting their minds and indirectly promoting the obscenities i just stated above. Its a snowball effect. What you may think as "harmless" absolutely leads to worser things. Every anime i seem to stumble upon nowadays portrays women looking like sex goddesses with little clothing, or over excessive female features.

it may not physically hurt Japan and its youth, but it will psychologically... and end up affecting their morals and way of thinking, as it already has to a certain degree.